Hey Guys,

As you can see I have been sparse on posts lately, so this is going to be a catch up post.

In the interest of market research in Village settings, I went out to the Eastern Province starting from the 23rd to the 28th of July. I took my friend Lukali with me as a translator. I paid for her travel and in return, I got free translating, free accomodations, and free meals. I think I probably got the better of that deal, but she got to see her mother for the first time in 2 years. Funny enough, I got to see "my mother" for the first time as I am now Sarah Riley Chiwama, the second born to Mrs Chiwama. but on to the meat of the story.

So our first stop was in Sinda, where we stayed with Mrs Chiwama. Here I went to the market and interviewed all the relevant businesses. After that I went for a leisurely walk with Lukali, and her brother Isaac to his school. On the way back we went by the dam which was gorgeous.

Sunday we got up, cleaned the house (a must on Sundays apparently) and then went to church. Pentacostal of course. In a country of 90% catholic religioun, I can't seem to get myself invited to anything but a pentacostal service. Anyways, it was nice, with some really fun songs complete with hopping and turning around numerous times. Sinda is a village and as in many villages, seeing a white person is a rare event. As such most of the children spent the majority of the service turned around looking at me.

After church we went to visit a friend of Lukali's and were given lunch. I sat listening to Lukali and her friends talking in Nsenga with interludes of translated conversation with me. They were very fascinated by me but most of them couldn't speak english. As we were walking away, Lukali told me that they had said they liked me because I was the first Muzungu who had sat and ate with them and not been "skittish" about their children and the yard and house.

Next we went back to the house where we were given a second lunch. this lunch consisted of nshima of course, Kapenta, which I detest, Impwa which I can't even keep down, and Deleley which is okra floating in liquid pretty much like phlegm. I ate the nshima.

We got onto a bus to go to Chipata, the capital of the eastern province. Once there we met up with Bnyam and ate supper at Lukali's aunt Anne Temba's house. Bnyam and I decided that we could go together to a village Mgubudu on Tuesday, leaving Monday for touring Chipata.

Monday was spent mostly touring Chipata and interviewing Chipatan businesses. Went well but after all the walking, Lukali and I went to sleep early, early for me being before 9 oclock. Next morning we got up and attempted to search out a bus to Mgubudu. we thought we could catch a bus at 8:30 or 9:00 but as alway happens in Zambia, we set off in a bus by 11:00. We finally got there after a hour long bus ride of me and Bnyam singing, embarassing Lukali, and making the whole bus think we were totally crazy.

Now we start on our trek to speak to villagers. We first walk to the house of Mr Phiri who has helped Bnyam before. I walk in and am in instant heaven as he has 6 kittens. I cuddle with them while Bnyam discusses the plan for the day. We set off to meet villagers. Now by this time our plan of meeting with 15 or 20 villagers is a bit overzealous as it is about 13:00, but we meet 3. Overall it was a good day, and a good village experience for me. Then we head back to Chipata, where I think I managed to eat some Nshima before going to bed.

The next day we bussed to Sinda, and stayed the night with Mrs Chiwama again. I spent the afternoon, having my hair pulled, rather harshly really, into braids that I am told are just the height of fashion. They came out 2 days later, after I went crazy from my head itching.

So the trip home on Thursday should have been unexciting if not boring. first, I saw three monkeys!!! pretty awesome. and then the luggage compartment flew open on the bus while we were driving. It took us about an hour and a half to get the stuff back because some kids (bad ones) saw the luggage fly out and hiked it into the bush. All the luggage was recovered, but some had been torn open. Now obviously these kids were not the nicest, but what is of note is that there were some other kids who stood and waited for us to come so they could point out the direction that the luggage had been taken. Pretty fantastic really, and I can honestly say I doubt whether that would happen in Canada.

Well that is the end of my trip to Eastern Province. Sadly I have to start working now, so The trade show post will have to come later. Hope everyone had a good long weekend.

SJ